I’ll admit I was feeling a bit worried about it beforehand. A pollution and pollen spike on Thursday tipped me into a fairly bad asthma attack. It was the day I planned to recce the ride and I was too ill to do that and the attack also left my lung function pretty low. I use a peak flow monitor to keep track of it. For a woman my size and age it should be about 400. It’s never that, as a lifetime of pretty bad asthma as a child and younger woman, although improving with age and medication, means the best I can do is 300 to 350. But dropped way lower than even that in the week. Luckily, there were showers and more of a breeze on Friday, both of which can dampen down and disperse all those nasty pollen and pollution particles, so by Friday evening I knew I could ride. Just wasn’t sure how I’d cope with the hills.

      Warned the other riders I might have to shorten the ride. Everyone was really understanding. So, after a great coffee start at Le Delice, we set off for Kent and Surrey.

Ladywell Fields, Catford back ways to Beckenham Place Park then on to Red Lodge Rd and Corkscrew Hill. Nice urban descent to the roundabout which takes you on to Layhams Rd: every SE London rider’s easy way out to the country lanes of Kent and Surrey. It’s a long slow climb but gets you out through the hills fairly easily. Then, just before that lovely bit of Layhams that takes you to Beddlestead,  we detoured west to go through Fickleshole, past the White Bear and then round the lonely little lanes, bordered by bluebell filled woodlands at this time of year, alongside the B road which we crossed to head down the Halliloo valley. 

It’s a great swoop of a descent with rolling hills to the right and wooded hills to your left. Down, down past the golf course to the railway bridge at Woldingham where you can pick up every cyclists dream: a long traffic free tarmac road through a beautiful valley. It’s actually the road to Woldingham private school, so drivers can use it to get to the school but feels motor traffic free in practice. And it’s a lovely open valley to ride through. 

At the other end, we stopped just before the track that leads back to the road, our 20 mile refuel stop.

Then off again, downwards now, on the lane that leads through the little settlement of Churchtown, with its old almshouses and church. 

Then up The Enterdent.  Odd name.  Apparently it means something like “ a cluster of cottages set in a wooded valley”.  Which, I guess describes it very well. The road itself is a rough narrow track that climbs steeply uphill through the woods.  I climbed up the ascent slowly. For once this was no hardship as we were surrounded by the new fresh green of spring trees, resting gently in a soft, wide bed of bluebells. Glad to be forced to take the time to appreciate it for once. 

Normally I descend this lane on a different two counties route that accesses Surrey via Farthing Down. Descending The Enterdent is a whole different experience.  If you’d like to read my account of one such descent a few years ago its here

Once the climb’s over its down Tilburstow Hill turning off eastwards by the Fox and Hounds. Still in Surrey, heading through open farmland along easy flatter roads, then finally back north towards the line of the North Downs again.  Through beautiful beech woods, sheltering the lanes with that beautiful spring green light unique to this tree and this time of year.  Staffhurst Wood and Limpsfield Chart. Lovely.

We cross the A25 and ride towards the North Down climb we know we have to complete before we head homewards. The lanes are more open here.  You can see the sky again, no gentle green luminous light.  Its a fairly cloudy day, warm enough, but not too warm, good cycling weather.  

Clacket Lane takes us over the M25 and a glimpse of the motorway services named for it.  Lying beneath us, another world of noise funnelling up from below, petrol, metal, tarmac and speed. We carry on, turning the pedals, and instead of heading straight over the hills, turn on to the Pilgrims Way.  Another world, a narrow ancient way, calm and quiet. One of my favourite lanes around here, a rolling ride along a low ridge of the North Downs. 

We are now in Kent, bowling along this terrific little road that seems made for cycling, even if it was made centuries before anyone thought of our simple machines and for very different journeys.

Our coffee and cake stop is the lovely little VeloBarn. Good coffee, lovely cakes. Plus a little bike shop. Friendly staff who wave us off as we leave, with a cheerful, “Go Team!” 

Two climbs left now.  We are pretty tired after nearly fifty miles of fairly hilly terrain, and when we finally leave Pilgrims Way turning north straight into a chevron climb, I grind straight down into my lowest gear and take it as easily as I can. Almost everyone else spins past me. 

Finally we are at the top and head for the descent down Cudham Hill, a few roads further on, through Knockholt. It drops steeply, quickly and twists round sharply straightaway, then straightens out and if you throw yourself and your bike into it, its a cracking ride down. One last climb back up, then we are riding through Downe village, and despite the fact we have maybe 10 miles or so left, the ride feels almost over here. Except for one last hurrah after crossing the A21 and heading down again, Jackass Lane and Gates Green Rd. Another fine descent.

Then its just a matter of negotiating the outer suburbs of London till we are back on the outskirts of our own borough and Ladywell fields once more.

Thanks to everyone who rode with me today. You were a pleasure to lead, a lovely bunch.  And thanks to the VeloBarn for being in the right place, at the right time, with great coffee and delicious cakes. Apparently the sausage rolls weren’t bad either! 

And when I got back and did my daily peak flow test, my lung function had increased! Good news all round.

They are pretty comprehensive, we believe, although dont include absolutely everything, we acknowledge. There are undoubtedly a few things we dont cover in the map that we would love to add. However, we have to be realistic when setting out what we can deal with as a volunteer run group. Everybody who gives up their time to work with us have full and busy personal, family and work lives as well. So, although we regret leaving a few things off the list, we believe this map sets out a good framework for campaigning and helps those new to the group to understand our priorities.

Even if it doesn’t cover everything, the map covers an awful lot. And, you may have noticed, our council has a long way to go before it begins to reach even its own targets set in the boroughs cycling strategy back in 2017. Let alone everything on our map.

So, as we approach the elections in 2022, we have pulled out some of the key priorities from the map, which we believe it would be reasonable to expect any council to deliver in one term, especially one which has declared a climate emergency, has declared a commitment to increasing active travel and desperately needs to sort out the unacceptable levels of congestion, road danger and noise and air pollution its residents currently suffer. Enabling those who want to cycle to do so is one strand in any policy to tackle these issues.

The presentation linked to below was part of our last meeting and draws out those key priorities from our wider campaign objectives. You are welcome to view it. If you think you can help in any way in our campaigning on these issues, then we need you.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19OCmKVVTZyi8ciWodDPYSZUl6yMn7rFL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114575009086400309574&rtpof=true&sd=true

Email us on lewishamcyclists@gmail.com . And come to one of our meetings held online on the third Wednesday of the month at the moment.

But even before all this public debate, publicity, government action, around 250 a year died from gunshot. In total, all deaths from guns, including accidents, which the vast majority of those deaths are. It’s now less than half that.  

Yet, thousands, yes thousands, die on our roads annually and most of those deaths pass unremarked. No huge public outcry, no mass national petitions, no nationwide media call for change, or more controls on the cause of those deaths. 

Every so often, however, some of us can’t bear this awful disparity of concern for human life any longer. Something happens that makes some of us say: Enough!  This cannot be allowed to keep happening unremarked, unnoticed. These lives were important and now they are ended. Too soon. And we could have prevented it.

The killing of Marta Krawiec on the junction of Southampton Way and Theobalds road was what happened this time.  The seventh person to die in this particular area just riding their bike.

Like all those people, Marta was a Londoner with a life full of service to the city she lived in and its people. In losing them, London has lost so much and their loss could and should have been avoided. The fact that Marta was the seventh person to die on these roads means those who have the responsibility to keep us as safe as possible when we use them, already knew they were not safe, knew the design was not fit for purpose and put vulnerable road users in dangerous situations. And they’ve known that since the first person died there. 

September 2008, 31-year-old Wan-Chen McGuiness from Hackney 

June 2009, student Maria Fernandez, aged 24. 

July 2013 Alan Neve, aged 54.

November 2013 Francis Golding, aged 69

February 2015 Federica Baldassa, aged 26. 

August 2018, Dr Peter Fisher, aged 67. 

August 2021 Dr Marta Krawiec, aged 41

For me, personally, and I suspect for many others at Fridays protest, it was also about anyone and everyone who has been killed or suffered serious injury at so many junctions across the whole of the city. If not even more, all those people across the country who have been killed because a road was designed that valued their lives as worth less than facilitating motor traffic flow, prioritising motor vehicle movements and driver convenience over human life. 

 I spent some moments during the minutes silence at the protest also thinking about those who have died and been seriously injured at Lewisham’s dangerous junctions too. Lewisham Gateway, Deptford Bridge, Catford Bridge to name just three. These protests are, tragically, about more than just one junction, one tragedy.  It’s happening every day in our country. 

No one should die or suffer serious injuries in this way. It is possible to design all urban junctions in ways that make collisions resulting in vulnerable road users dying or suffering serious injury, almost impossible. It is appalling that we still have dozens and dozens of junctions our local councils and TfL have left in a state where it’s up to the vulnerable road users themselves to try and make sure they use the junction in ways which might, if they are lucky, minimise the danger to themselves, rather than remove the risks by changing the design.  I’ve been campaigning on these issues all my adult life and I’m at an age now where, if action is not taken immediately, I probably won’t see my local area’s dangerous junctions made safe for vulnerable road users. I don’t want to attend another protest, another vigil, another die in marking the loss of yet another life that could and should have been avoided simply by better road design.  But I also know that the changes we have achieved so far in London that do make some areas and routes so much safer, and even pleasant and enjoyable places to cycle and walk, have only been achieved because we said “Enough” in this way in the past. 

The acceptance by transport authorities that blue paint on the roads was not enough to create safe space for cycling only began when we protested and said “Enough” when the deaths of so many riders in 2013 led us to vigils marking those who died at Bow roundabout, and elsewhere across the city.

We said “Enough” on Blackfriars Bridge, where Vicky McCreery was killed in 2004.  We protested there, telling TfL their plans to change it weren’t good enough and would not stop more people being killed. Now ride across Blackfriars Bridge and it’s real proof that shouting, “Enough”, that joining together in active and engaged non violent protest really does work.  

I’ve lost count of the protests and vigils I’ve attended, the meetings with transport officers, developers I’ve attended, the articles and web posts I’ve written to try and get the lives of vulnerable road users valued. Any campaigner of my age will have done the same. Progress may be slow, it may not yet be sufficient to keep everyone safe, across the whole city yet, but it does work. I’ve seen things change for the better in my lifetime. And if we keep on shouting “Enough” whenever that callout to power is needed, I do believe one day, we will be living in a city that’s far less congested, far less polluted, with streets everywhere we can walk and cycle safely, without fear.

Lewisham Cyclists is launching a Cycle Buddies scheme. This will pair new bike riders with more experienced cyclists, to help build their confidence.

We’ve been running an informal scheme for a while – now we’re expanding it and making it easier to request a buddy.

Many people have started cycling in recent months, to avoid using public transport or getting stuck in traffic. Lewisham Cyclists wants to support anyone who wants to start riding a bike, or ride more.

A Cycle Buddy can help you:

• find quiet local streets, where you can practice and build confidence
• find and try out new routes to work or your local shops
• feel safer and more comfortable cycling in traffic
• find a safe route for your child to cycle to school

Experienced cyclists can also volunteer to become a Cycle Buddy, and help a new or returning cyclist build confidence and get comfortable with new routes.

To get involved, please fill out the Lewisham Cycle Buddies online form.

I’m so fed up of unsubstantiated, poorly evidenced attacks on any attempts to reduce car use and finally decided I just couldn’t ignore this one. Especially as it’s from a cyclist and someone who claims to care about those less privileged than himself.

if you want to read the original, it’s here.

I took it point by point and have quoted the sections I really took issue with and explained why. I wrote it as an answer, hence the use of the pronoun you throughout.

1. “Statistical wake-up call” This was a kind of headline to your piece. Really. Yet no real statistics to back up what you say which is largely anecdotal. Nothing wrong with that, people’s testimonies are important and can form part of certain types of data. But, here it has no more value, I would argue than my anecdotal evidence about the area, which is very different.
2. “Using publically available statistics, it is quite clear that a more affluent, higher car owning area is being rewarded with the LTN at the cost an area with lower affluence, lower car ownership and, in places, already serious pollution. I find this totally unacceptable.” You claim you found evidence somewhere that proves the LTN is a scheme to reward rich people who own cars? No, in reality what you mean is, you believe the LTN moves motor traffic from the filtered streets to the designated A roads in the area. Well yes, you may have a point there, that’s what the short term results of these schemes can be. But to extrapolate from this the outrageous claim that this is some kind of deliberate attempt to reward the rich at the expense of the poor would be funny if it wasn’t so unpleasant. First and foremost, LTN’s are an attempt to begin reducing motor traffic on our roads. Mostly the private car journeys that people are able to do by other modes of transport. And yes, to remove those drivers taking shortcuts through smaller streets which were never designed to take through traffic. The ultimate and over riding aim is to reduce motor traffic everywhere, reduce pollution for everyone, reduce congestion, make our whole community better for everyone. And there is lots of evidence to show that happens. Secondly, even if it were true (I can’t believe I’m giving it that much credibility!) why would a good reward for car owners be a restriction on where they use their cars. That’s just ridiculous. Not a very good reward. Almost, a disincentive rather than the opposite, wouldn’t you say?
3. “ the scheme deliberately seeks to push traffic onto other residential roads.” No it doesn’t “deliberately seek” to do that. Your choice of words encourages divisiveness and diverts attention from what the real aims of LTN’s are. It may be a temporary side effect. But the overall aim of LTN’s is to reduce motor traffic everywhere, encouraging behaviour change, by making people who don’t have to use their cars think very carefully about the journeys they make by car and making different transport choices wherever possible. Reducing car journeys, reduces pollution overall. Which you say is important to you.
4. “These residential ‘main’ roads are not wide and purpose built like the North circular. In fact, my ‘side road’ is far wider than Brownhill Road, where buses now sit in constant traffic from Catford to Burnt Ash Hill, making them pointless to use. “
   This depends on which side roads you are talking about and which sections of the main roads. There are narrow roads in the LTN which suffered huge volumes of traffic throughout the day before implementation. The data is there to prove it, in traffic counts. So you don’t live on one. Lucky you.
5. “With no sign of promised ‘evaporation’, the project is at best flawed and at worst socially unjust.” Your opinion. You’ve a right to it, I guess. But it’s a seriously flawed and unjust opinion. You haven’t made a case for it as far as I can see. And, “no sign of promised evaporation” . Well, we are only weeks into this project, and it’s only one area. We’ve had over forty years of increasing traffic, pollution, noise etc and after a few weeks you want it all sorted. Added to which, we have came out of lockdown and lots more people seem to have got into their cars. Ok, this could have been predicted you might say. Well it was, and it’s actually another reason we need more LTN strategies, not less. And why central government funded these initiatives. We cannot sustain a car based recovery from Covid, whatever community we are from. If we don’t start doing something right now to stop it, pollution, congestion, noise, road danger we will all see more of it. LTN’s are a beginning.
6. “The Council states that traffic will reduce in time, but offer very weak evidence that it will ever do so. It is clear they are not interested in the least in this.”
   You really think the Council have done all this because they are not the least interested in traffic reduction? For goodness sake, by all means criticise their communication, planning, implementation, probably a whole load of things they could have done better in this project, but that is frankly a ridiculous accusation without any foundation at all. I’m not even going to discuss the “very weak evidence” bit. There’s loads of it out there. That’s why loads of LA’s are putting them in, that’s why these particular interventions were suggested by the government
7. “I have cycled the area for years and have never seen such traffic.” Ok, anecdotal evidence again, which I’ve already agreed can have a place in these discussions. However, I’ve also cycled the area for years, work on the bike frequently in the area, use the South Circular several times weekly, and you know, I have seen bad congestion on the South Circular, many many times. Lockdown was such a huge contrast, its really hard to say over the course of a day if overall volumes are greater. There has definitely been a change in the timing of the congestion. I find early morning rush hour is quieter than before and then there is a buildup throughout the afternoon. But, this is a phenomenon occurring all over London post lockdown. If you think it’s all a result of the LTN you are wrong. If you think it’s going to get significantly better by removing one LTN, you are also wrong. Look at Wandsworth, where they have just removed their LTN. But what it will definitely do is set ourselves way back on the hard road to achieving better, less congested and polluted roads for us all in Lewisham, across the whole borough. All of us will suffer, more and for longer.
8. “I believe we have got to where we are because of a relatively small group of people, including councillors, lobbyists and, quite frankly, NIMBYs. I believe some are hiding behind environmentalism for their own personal benefit while others are blindly follow a belief system along the lines of religious zealotry.” Councillors and lobbyists. Of course. You’re lobbying yourself. But the rest of the very nasty stuff there? Frankly just rude and unjustified. That kind of comment has no place in a measured and balanced critique of something you may well have legitimate concerns about. Just a blatant and ridiculous attempt to discredit people you disagree with. And relatively small number? Well, that’s a meaningless statement in itself, isn’t it.? All I know is that there are many many people who want better streets for everyone. There are many residents in the area itself who want the Lee LTN to stay and there are many of us in other parts of Lewisham who want this to be the first of the roll out across the borough and know that if our council and our Mayor in particular had the courage and foresight to see it through it would be the beginning of a better Lewisham for everyone. No one I’ve met and worked with in forty years of campaigning for safer streets for cycling and for active travel has ever met the description you’ve cooked up, based, I would guess on your own personal prejudices and values. You should have the courage and grace to withdraw it and apologise.
9. “As a commuter cyclist it is now far worse, we use the ‘main’ roads as they are more direct with less junctions and now have to breath on the increased pollution from cars at standstill and get around them, I have noticed drivers are becoming more aggressive and so it is more dangerous.
   I’ve been riding around London all my life. I use all roads. Main roads have always held more pollution. And yes, we need interventions on main roads. But main road schemes and LTN’s aren’t mutually exclusive. They should work together. But just because half the interventions aren’t there yet, no reason to stop the other half. An LTN isn’t a cycling scheme per se. It’s not for people like you and me. It’s for the families, the disabled riders, the older riders, the less experienced riders, people who won’t use the main roads to ride a bike. It’s to persuade more people to leave cars at home more often, or, hope of hopes, even some people to get rid of their cars, and make more journeys walking and cycling, improving their health in the meantime. Including these comments about cyclists facing increased pollution and danger on main roads in your LTN piece and using the word “now” to imply that this may be linked in some way to LTN’s is a completely unsubstantiated extrapolation.
10. “anyway it ( LTN in Lee) was always quiet outside of rush hours.” More anecdotal stuff. Well, here’s my anecdotal riposte. No, it wasn’t. Depends which roads you’re talking about. Maybe in your wide leafy tree lined boulevard it was. Who knows. However, I’ve worked on most roads round here at all hours of the day. Some may have become quiet outside of rush hour, but others like Ennersdale and Leahurst (hardly wide tree lined boulevards full of rich wealthy white residents are they) most emphatically did not. They remained busy, unpleasant and dangerous all day.
11. “The Catford part of the South Circular has eight times or more pollution than WTO limits!” We all know the SC is an awful road in drastic need of interventions of its own. Lewisham Cyclists is actively campaigning on improving it. We have recently met TfL about it. Campaign for those interventions as well. Don’t remove one intervention designed to reduce motor traffic, the primary cause of this pollution, just because you’re unhappy with the progress of campaigning on the South Circular. There is not even any evidence that I’ve seen yet that pollution is significantly increased by the LTN anyway on the SC. So why choose this particular strategy of removing an LTN to reduce pollution? Makes no sense.
12. “We need radical change to reduce traffic in the highest pollution areas first, then only later we can look at localised projects.”
    Really? Why? Where is the evidence this will work any better? More to the point, where’s the logic in that statement? The fundamental problem is too much motor traffic. Depending on the type, location of that traffic there are many interventions and changes we need. EV public transport. Smarter, rationalised delivery systems which reduce numbers of vehicles and need for larger vehicles to enter built up areas, transferring goods at delivery hubs to EV vehicles. Road pricing, restrictions on polluting vehicles. Restrictions on through traffic on roads not designed for them. These are just a few of the things we need to start doing. LTN’s is one of them. To improve the overall situation it’s totally illogical to start rolling back one measure you’ve begun on, spent money, time, energy on, just because you haven’t yet started on the others. Get started on it all. That’s what you’d be campaigning for if you really mean to reduce pollution in the worst affected areas. Not wasting your time and energy getting the first bit of a plan that will improve things for everyone, taken out.
13. “My road is one of the widest in the area with rows of huge trees along its long length, it easily accommodates the traffic that avoids Catford from Brownhill Road to the Bromley Road and vice versa at rush hours.” I’m very happy for you. Not everyone in the Lee LTN is that lucky. It was likely the only way to properly protect all the narrow poorer streets in that LTN from the pollution, road danger and congestion they get, and to keep the flows properly managed, was to filter your road too. But to salve your conscience you would like the LTN removed so they get all that pollution, the noise, the congestion, the road danger they suffered, back once more. Really?

If you really are interested in improving the roads for everyone, carry on campaigning for all the stuff that’s needed to improve Brownhill Rd. and other main roads in Lewisham. There’s way too much polluting traffic on it, you’re right. But, the fact you seem to be devoting so much energy to removing an intervention which is actually designed eventually to reduce polluting traffic, seems odd to me. And if you really believe it’s prioritising the needs of some wealthier more advantaged groups over those of the less advantaged, campaign for more of the same for those more disadvantaged areas too. But, as you say elsewhere in the piece, the Lee LTN is a fairly large area. And there are plenty of less advantaged people living in it, who’ll suffer if it’s gone. Why punish them for our council failing to do as good a job of communicating, planning and implementing the scheme that they could have. Campaign for more schemes, more interventions, and better. And do it now. Stop wasting time getting stuff that can only do good, removed.

We have written to TfL, specifically to the Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, as it’s Transport for London who are responsible for the South Circular, it being one of London’s strategic routes. We think something needs to be done now to improve the safety, not just of cyclists, but of pedestrians too, who have also been injured in collisions on this stretch of road.

The text of our communication is here:

Dear Will Norman,

Its no exaggeration to say that Lewisham Cyclists are devastated to contact you once again on the topic of a serious collision on the South Circular in Catford.

At the moment, unlike Lukasz Binkowski who tragically  lost his life in October last year,just yards away from last Tuesday’s collision, this rider, we hear, is still alive, but has life threatening injuries and, the last we heard was in a critical condition.          

   This latest incident, just a few months later, tragically highlights once again the huge importance of attending to this immediately. The stretch of road on the South Circular all the way through Catford Town centre from Brownhill Rd in the east to Stanstead Rd in the west is not fit for purpose and subjects the thousands of people walking and cycling here to a completely unacceptable risk of harm from motor traffic.    

Specifically regarding cycling, there is no alternative route at all through the town centre from east to west and back. Even dismounting and walking your bike creates issues and conflicts, as the pavements, especially over the railway bridge, are often so narrow. 
Lewisham Cyclists urge you to come down to Catford and view the situation that local people have to cope with on a daily basis. It is not enough to tell people there is a long term plan for the area. In the ten years or more that this could take, it is extremely likely that more people will die or suffer serious injuries here. If the mayor’s commitment to Vision Zero means anything, some action has to be taken now to reduce the risks people walking and cycling here can face.

Visit the area and talk to local cyclists and pedestrians about their daily experiences and discuss the immediate possibilities for improving our safety here.
 We expect and look forward to your speedy response and suggestion of dates convenient for you.
Kind regards,       Jane Davis, Coordinator, Lewisham Cyclists 

We will keep everyone updated on TfL’s response.

Len really enjoys his time with Wheels for Wellbeing. He attended the extremely popular weekly open session that ran regularly at the Ladywell Centre before Covid and can’t wait for it to start running again.

Len says, “I began cycling as a small child aged about 5. I had polio and was very ill. Spent time in an iron lung.  Cycling was the perfect exercise to strengthen my weakened legs.  

1. Why do you cycle? Its definitely a mobility aid for me.   I have a mobility scooter, which is great, but if I used it all the time I would be very overweight and unfit. Its the easiest way for me to get exercise. Not to mention the fact I really enjoy it.
2. What do you enjoy most about cycling? The fact I can get around and get exercise at the same time.
3.  If you could name one thing that the council could do better to make things better for cyclists what would it be? Safe protected space on the roads would be great, on the bike and for when Im using the mobility scooter.  There’s not enough room on the pavement and it feels very unsafe on the roads with fast cars driving by me.  I would go much further on the bike and on the mobility scooter if there were more safe protected space on the roads.
4. What advice would you give to anyone who might be thinking of starting cycling? Get some training! We called it cycling proficiency when I was a kid, and I did it. It really helps and every cyclist should do it.

• Wheels for Wellbeing, the charity for which Len volunteers, he would recommend to anybody with any kind of disability. They run sessions in South London and their volunteers and workers aim to get anyone who wants to cycle, riding. To this end they make available to their participants a wide range of adapted cycles. Find out more about them here https://wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk

How long have you been cycling? Off and on for the last ten years – mostly off.  I had a city bike in Hoboken, NJ to get to and from the underground but sadly it was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy.  Years later I am now cycling for the first time in the UK and London – I just bought my current bike a short while ago.  I am guessing it is about 10-12 years old and was brought over from Holland for the original owner who used it for her children.  I love that it has a history and will last for years to come.  My Dutch ancestors from many generations ago would be proud.

Why do you cycle?

At present I am cycling for many reasons, most importantly necessity.  I use my bike for almost everything – carrying my two children, school runs, grocery trips, visiting friends (hopefully soon), and for my business.  It is getting a bit comical at this point – I just need to figure out a way to string up a hammock to it and I would be set for life.

My son is on the shielding list and the idea of getting on mass transit terrifies me.  He is two years old so can’t follow any guidelines or even keep a face mask on.  I will be using it for the school run every day as well.  I do not have a driver’s license here in the UK and I was due to be taking my lessons and testing for it now but that is now out of the question.  Lastly, I am using my bike to make local deliveries for my business, Heather Victoria Designs.  It seemed pretty silly to belabour Royal Mail to send a parcel a mile or two away – with my bike I can deliver my artwork and stationery quicker and easier – plus mother earth is a teeny bit happier.

What do you most enjoy about cycling (if that’s different to the answer above)?  The Freedom.  As a single mum without the use of a car I often felt trapped – I was taking 2-3 journeys a day on the bus or walking for hours each day.  So many journeys are too far to walk but very time consuming on mass transit.  I like to get things done now and quickly – a bike allows me to zip around whenever I want. It is truly life changing.

Did you have any fears about cycling when you started? If so, what helped you to overcome those?  I still have fears since I had such a long hiatus, and now I am carrying my children.  Trying to navigate the disappearing bike lanes in London always makes me nervous.  I often steel myself and fake the confidence it takes and that helps a little bit by bit.  I think since the bike is larger and I am sitting upright it is a tiny bit more visible – but I worry about many of the tight streets.  

If you could name one thing that the council could do to make things better for cyclists, what would it be?   REAL BIKE LANES.  With physical barriers that the cars have to respect.  That don’t disappear after a half a kilometre. Not just here and there – but real routes that are useful.  They can encourage people to avoid mass transit all they want but until they make it easier for less confident or newer cyclists most will be too scared to try.

What advice would you give to anyone who might be thinking of starting cycling?  Don’t be intimidated.  When I was doing my research I felt a bit stonewalled by the fact that the majority of merchandise and marketing was all geared toward a) advanced cyclists b) men.  I had a few fleeting moments where I felt like I just didn’t belong or it must not be for me.  But the truth is you don’t have to be the sleek, Lycra-clad, professional vision of a cyclist that most people have.  Don’t be intimidated – you can also be a mum in her leggings, huffing up and down hills while her two kids yell “weeeeee”.  Cycling is for everyone

Week 1: Rosemin

I grew up in Uganda, about 11 cousins would share a bike with as many of us getting on it as we could! When I was in primary school my dad took me to school on his rack at the back sitting on a cushion!! 

In UK we grew up in Worcester as refugees. Age 11 I got into a grammar school on the outskirts of the city but got no bus pass so my older sister gave me her bike to cycle to school.

 I cycle for necessity, because I believe in sustainability – I have no car. I go everywhere, shop and commute on my bike.

 Cycling is my counselling, I do all my thinking when riding, it helps me stay fit  and it gives me freedom especially in these Covid days.  I don’t need to use public transport and can help make space for those who need it.

The council should have more lending bikes to help those who want  to have a go at cycling without having to buy a new bike. I wish there were more traffic free paths for children to use to cycle on. The ones we have end abruptly and are few and far apart.

If you’re worried about  starting cycling, you could  think about wearing a helmet but definitely have a lesson as it helps gain confidence.